Audible low-water alarm for automobile-tanks.



Nu. 698,775, Patentedi Apr. 29-, 1902.

s. E.'WH|TNEY. AUDIBLE LOW WATER ALARM FOR AUTOMOBILE TANKS.

(Application filed June 22, 1901.)

(No Model.)

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tance from the bottom of the tank.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE E. WHITNEY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO \VHITNEY MOTOR WAGON COMPANY, OF KITTERY, MAINE, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

AUDIBLE LOW-WATER ALARM FOR AUTOMOBILE-TANKS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 698,775, dated April 29, 1 902.

Application filed June 22, 1901.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE E. WHITNEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Audible Low-Water Alarms for Automobile- Tanks, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawing, is a specification, like letters on the drawing representing like parts.

This invention in motor-vehicles has for its object to provide novel means for indicating audibly a low-water level in the water reservoir or tank. Prior to my invention waterglasses and other visual means for this purpose have been employed; but as arule such devices are utterly worthless after dark except when provided with artificial means for illuminating the same and which at best are unsatisfactory.

The drawing illustrates in elevation, partial section, one form of device illustrating my invention.

In the particular form of my invention illustrated in the drawing, A indicates a portion of a usual water reservoir or tank, wherein is kept the supply of water to be used in the running of the Vehicle. In this tank, and it may be arranged upon the bottom thereof, is a suitable stand Ct, shown as circular or ringlike in form and mounted upon legs ct or otherwise suitably supported at a proper dis- Upon this ring-like stand Ct are arranged a series of supports 1), meeting at their upper ends in the form of a crown and supporting a bell, gong, or other resonant member 0.

Upon the stand CL 1 have arranged a series of tappers or strikers cl, shown as in the form of spheres or balls arranged in slightly-inclined troughs or ways e e. At the open ends of the troughs 6, adjacent the bell or gong c, I have arranged, respectively, the vertical resilientholders or springsfithat stand between the balls cl and the bell and normally hold the balls slightly away from the bell. The motion of the vehicle in being propelled over the average road will cause the balls (I (Z to Serial No. 65,674. (No model.)

roll back and forth in their respective troughs e, and in every case when they are rolled away from the open ends of their troughs or away from the hell they will gravitate down the inclined bottoms of said troughs and strike the springs or holders ff with suffieient force to drive them against the periphery of the bell and cause the same to sound in precisely the same manner as when struck by a bell-tongue in usual manner in ordinary practice. So long as the bell or resonant member is partially or wholly immersed in the body of wa- 6o ter contained within the tank or reservoir the striking of the balls or the intervening springs against the same will produce no vibration or sound whatever, the water acting to deaden the vibrations and sound and retard the movements of the strikers. When, however, the water-level falls below the resonant member or bell, the strikers coming in contact with the bell will cause the latter to sound audibly and with sufficient volume to Warn the occupant of the vehicle that the water-level has reached the predetermined presumablydanger-level. By varyingtheheight of support of the bell the time of sounding the alarm may be varied to allow for a greater 7 5 orless reserve within the tank upon the sounding of the alarm.

To prevent air becoming trapped within the bell or gong, and thus reducing to the extent of the capacity of the hell or gong the volume of water capable of being carried in the tank, I have provided the bell or gong with a perforation it, that Willpermit the escape of any air from within the same.

My invention is not limited to the particular embodiment here shown, as obviously the idea of the invention may be variously carried out without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having described one form of myinvention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. Ina motor-vehicle a low-wateraudiblealarm device arranged within a water vessel.

2-. In a motor-vehicle a low-water audible- 5 alarm device contained in the water-tank thereof and normally,whol1y or partially submerged in the water contained in said water tank.

3. A low-water alarm for motor-vehicles consisting of a sounding member normally submerged in the water and means to strike the same.

4. In a motor-vehicle a low-water alarm consisting of a continuously-operating alarm device arranged within the tank, the contained water when partially or wholly submerging. the said device operating to prevent its audible sounding.

5. In a motor-vehicle a low-water-alarm device consisting of a bell, gong or other vibratory member and one or more gravity-actuated strikers therefor, the Whole being partially or Wholly submerged within the watertank.

6. A low-water alarm comprising a bell, gong member and one or more for motor-vehicles or other vibratory rolling strikers all arranged within the water-tank and to be partially or Wholly. submerged in the water therein.

7. In a motor-vehicle an audible low-water alarm consisting of a submerged bell, gong or other vibratory member, one or more strikers therefor, and resilient holders interposed between said strikers and said bell, gong or member and normally holding said strikers out of operative contact therewith.

8. In a motor-vehicle an audible low-water alarm consisting of a submerged bell, gong or other vibratory member, one or more strikers therefor, and means to hold the said strikers out of contact with the said bell, gong or member, the said strikers in their striking movements overcoming said holding means temporarily in delivering the blows upon the bell.

9. In a motor-vehicle an audible low-Wateralarm device containing a submerged bell, gong or other cup-shaped member having its crown uppermost, with means to permit the escape of air from within the same.

10. In a motor-vehicle an audible low-wateralarm device containing a submerged bell, gong or other cup-shaped member, the same being perforated to permit escape oficontained air.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEO. E. VVI'II'INEY.

\Vitnesses:

FREDERICK L. EMERY, A. E. CHESLEY. 

